Abstract: An amusement ride is provided, of the type that moves and tilts passengers viewing a motion picture, which is more versatile than prior rides. A plurality of passenger-holding frames is provided, that are all moved in sychronism, each by a separate set of actuators, while the passengers view a stationary screen. The passenger-holding frame is pivoted up and down on a beam which is supported by only two largely vertical actuators, while two pairs of links or arms limit movement of the beam.

Abstract: A container is described, of a type which includes a resilient cover whose rearward portion is heat sealed to the flange of a container bottom or body and whose front can be bent up to gain access to the recess in the body. The cover is cut from a previously rolled sheet which is arched, and the convex side of the sheet faces upwardly so the front of the container cover tends to stay closed. The cover is heat sealed to opposite side flanges at locations lying forward of the rear of the recess by at least 25% of the length of the recess, to thereby more firmly keep the cover closed. The front of the cover and body are formed with aligned holes forward of the recess, so the container can be stored on a rod without the contents spilling out.

Abstract: A water filter apparatus is provided, which is especially useful in filtering out chemicals from tap water. The filter includes upper and lower vessels and a filter assembly between them which includes activated charcoal for adsorbing chemicals. The filter assembly includes a filter housing with inlet holes near the bottom of the upper vessel and a filter vent near the top of the upper vessel for releasing gas produced during filtering through the activated charcoal. A ring-shaped preliminary filter lies around the inlet holes, to avoid blocking the upward passage of gas through the vent. The filter extends partially through the holes, to lie closely along the path of upwardly-flowing gas bubbles, so the bubbles tend to drag along gas forming at the inside of the preliminary filter. A cap assembly on the upper vessel permits the escape of vented gas while avoiding splashing. The container is preferably placed in a refrigerator during filtering, to aid in adsorption of chemicals.

Abstract: An illuminated push button switch module comprised of a lamp subassembly and push button switch subassembly. The switch subassembly is physically mounted on and electrically connected to a circuit board. The lamp subassembly is configured for detachable spring mounting on the switch subassembly enabling the lamp subassembly to be manually depressed to actuate the switch subassembly. The spring mounting includes a pair of coil springs which terminate in cantilevered arms to electrically contact pads on the lamp subassembly for energizing an incandescent bulb carried thereby. The lamp subassembly can be easily detached from the switch subassembly for bulb replacement.

Abstract: A cooler is provided for a typical carbonated beverage can, which facilitates cooling of the can and drinking of beverage from the cold can. The cooler includes a container bottom assembly which closely receives the can and a top assembly which fits into the bottom assembly to trap a can therein. About two-thirds of the height of the can lies in the bottom assembly, and the bottom assembly closely surrounds the can, to keep the can cool even when the top is removed and liquid is drunk from the can lying in the bottom assembly. The bottom assembly includes a refrigerant element having a raised middle portion which is received in the concave bottom of a typical pressurized twelve ounce can. The bottom assembly includes a hard cup-shaped shell and a cup-shaped foam liner, the bottom of the liner being closely held in the shell but the top of the liner being spaced from the shell to provide space for an interfitting lip on the top assembly.

Abstract: A PIN GaAlAs diode structure is provided with parameters for index guiding of light in a single mode. The index of refraction of the central layer I (which in practice may be lightly doped .pi. or .nu.) is greater than the p- and n-layers to create a slab waveguide in the transverse direction. Stripe contacts define separate waveguide channels that are separated electrically and optically by implanting protons or etching grooves between the stripe contacts in the upper layer. Separate reverse biasing voltages may be applied to the stripe contacts for modulation of the light in proportions to the voltage, either with absorption modulation, if the light wavelength is within about 500.ANG. of the bandgap of the .pi.-material, or phase-delay modulation, if the wavelength is separated from the bandgap of the .pi.-material by at least 900.ANG..

Abstract: An analog buffer amplifier for supplying an output voltage which closely follows an applied input voltage. The amplifier is characterized by a buffer output stage capable of providing both source and sink current over wide voltage swings together with circuit means for detecting slew conditions to enhance slew rate.

Abstract: An electrical box is provided at the outer end of an electrical power cable of the type that supplies power to aircraft parked at an airport, which enables rapid replacement of damaged switches in a compact and watertight arrangement. The electrical box includes a main connector assembly which has a plurality of conductor socket terminals connected to conductors in the cable, and a switch assembly which includes a plurality of switches. The switch assembly fits into a recess in the main housing, and includes projecting pins connected to the switches and which are received in corresponding conductor socket terminals on the main housing. Not only can switches be easily replaced, but the arrangement avoids the need for a bulky connection box where wires of switches are connected to free lengths of the conductors. The switch assembly includes a circular projection from which the pins project, the circular projection including a sealing ring which seals to a corresponding circular recess in the main housing.

Abstract: A digital system is provided for synthesizing individual voices of musical instruments, which may then be combined into a musical composition. The system for a single voice is comprised of means for solving a system of simultaneous finite difference equations, where time is represented by real time in the computations. Musical sounds of the voice can then be produced by repetitiously solving the difference equations that model the instrument in real time, using an array of elemental means named "universal processing elements" (UPEs) interconnected by a matrix to each other and to external input and output terminals, and varying the sounds by varying the parameters. Each UPE is capable of computing Y=A+(B.times.M) from pipelined bit-serial inputs. The difference equations model a general linear filter, a second-order linear filter, a nonlinear polynomial function, and a random number (noise) generating function.

Abstract: An LC tank circuit in the collector of a power transistor controls the vertical modulation of the horizontal deflection of a CRT through additional deflection coils properly oriented. The tank circuit is tuned at a frequency nf for the desired modulation, where n is the number of cycles of oscillation of the tank for each drive pulse at a frequency (pulses per second) f, and each drive pulse is adjusted in width to one fourth or less of a cycle of the modulation frequency nf using an adjustable RC differentiating circuit and a threshold device to couple a squarewave signal at frequency f to the base of the power transistor.

Abstract: An array of universal processing elements (UPEs) may be interconnected through a switching matrix in response to control words which are in turn produced by a programmed digital computer in response to commands from a keyboard or a data file, thereby routing the outputs of selected UPEs to other UPEs for further processing and/or combining a sound stream in digital form. The matrix is comprised of both local and global conductors, the local ones being available to selected groups of UPEs. Each UPE is implemented as a digital multiplier, preferably with pipelining, and each UPE is comprised of a plurality of stages, preferably implemented with an adder for computing the sum of a plus the Boolean logic function [b.multidot.m+d.multidot.m] and a multiplexer for forming the function [b.multidot.+d.multidot.m], where a, b, d and m are bits of the respective two's complement number A, B, D and M, whereby the entire array of stages in a UPE computes A+[B.times.M+D.times.(1-M)].

Abstract: Column-type load cells having recessed portions on opposite sides to receive strain gauges mounted on the web in the recesses for more linear response are improved by reduced cross sections off each end of the recesses, and/or by flexures off each end, with adjustment of the diameter of the reduced diameter portions and the distances of the flexures from the recesses to adjust the linearization effect of the recesses. Diaphragms arranged either at one end or both ends are used to support a tube cover. Utilizing two diaphragms, one at each end of a tube cover has been found to improve linearization even without reduced cross sections and/or flexures.

Abstract: A camera shoulder case is provided which permits rapid opening, full visability, and easy access to one layer of securely held equipment in the case while the case remains supported by a shoulder strap on the user. The assembly includes a lower case part which holds the equipment, a cover pivotally mounted to the rear of the lower case part, and a shoulder strap having opposite ends mounted to opposite sides of the lower case part. A flexible loop member which is mounted to the cover, slidably receives the shoulder strap. With the case supported on a person, access is obtained by pulling up on the cover to pivot down the lower case part until it is horizontal, the strap-receiving loop then resisting closing of the cover. The lower case part can be partitioned by the user to securely hold equipment by the use of pylon devices that can be installed in selected holes of an array of holes formed at the bottom of the lower case part.

Abstract: A hydrotherapy jet assembly and/or installation configured to discharge a high intensity stream into a water tub without requiring air entrainment. Passageway means are provided for drawing water from the tub into the mixing chamber of a jet assembly for entrainment by a water jet. The stream discharged from the jet assembly into the tub is comprised of (1) water supplied under pressure into the mixing chamber by a water jet nozzle and (2) water drawn from the tub for entrainment by the water jet. The effect of tub water entrainment is to produce a high intensity stream for impacting against a user's body without significantly lowering the temperature of the water pool in the tub.

Abstract: A cable assembly is described, for safely connecting an electrical power source such as an electrical outlet at an airport, to a power consuming device such as an aircraft. The assembly includes an electrical cable (18) with a connector (16) at one end for engaging the receptacle on an aircraft to supply power thereto, and a relay (30) at the inner end of the cable which can connect and disconnect a power source to the cable. "On" and "off" power switches (32, 34) are located near the outer end of the cable. The "on" switch enables a workman to operate the remote relay to turn on the power immediately after he has connected the outer end of the cable to the power consuming device. This encourages the workman to apply a voltage to the cable only after the connection is made, to avoid sparks that might ignite flammable fumes.